1 
^ 


HOW    HE    WAS    TAUGHI 


\,aJ     ^.^^    ^.^sj 


HE 
e  a  d  s 

f  rites 


o  e  1 1  s 


0  u  nts 


gures 

k  a  nges 
o  n  e  y 

ells 
i  m   e 

s  e  s    a 

ash 

agister 

c,    etc. 


The  Story  of 
Beau  t  if  u  1 

Jim    Key 

The    Arahiuti    Ilumhlet<}Tii:in    luliif:itf(l    Horse 

Valued  at  $100,000.00 


The   Most   Wonderful 
Horse  in  all  the  world 


HE    WAS    TAUGHT     BY    KINDNESS 


ttie  |i 
^mm  Education  focielj. 


[tie  "^issacliiLseUs  ^ociel) 


Officers  of  Both  Societies : 

OEO.  T.  ANGELL,  Preittdeni. 
Hon     HENKV   B.  HILL.   li<-p-Crfii 
JOSEPH    L.  STEVENS,  Secretati/ 
Hon    henry  B.  BILL,  Trcn>uttr 
EBEN.  SHUTE,  /Imnlniit  Trfo«vr. 


Trustees  of  Permanent  Funds  81 
Both  Societies 


CirRRIER.      THOMAS 


IB:     OODDARB     BUli.l 

19  Milk  Street 


'^^a/o-rz,    Oct.  22nd.,  /^^/ 


Mr.  Albert  R.  Rogers. 
My  Dear  Sir;- 

It  ^iv33  me  great  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  yoa  and 
Dr.  Wiiltam  Key  and  beautiful  "Jim  Key"  ha«e  bean  elected  aonopary  Members 
of  tri3  "Pareot  American  Band  of  Mercy",  whose  branches  now  number,  in  our 
own  and  oth3r  countries,  probably  b9tv?33n  two  and  three  millions  members. 


2^    ^     cM^f^^J^^^ 


Prssidsnt  of  the  Arasncan  Humane   Sdacation  Society,    the  Massachu- 
S3tt3  Society   for   the   Prevention  of  Cruslty  to   ^ini'tals,    and   the 
Parent  American  Band  of   Mercy. 


TAKING    A   SlIA'ER   DOLLAR   OUT   OF   A   C.LA.SS   JAR   OF  WATF.R 
WITHOUT   DRINKING    A    DROP. 


JIM    KEYS    liLlL])lN-(;    AT   THE    EXPORT    EXPOSITION,   PHILADELPHIA. 


R 


How  was  Beautiful  Jim  Key  taught  ?  How  did  his  teacher, 
Dr.  Key,  come  to  notice  the  extra  intelhgence  this  horse 
possessed?  What  breed  is  he?  And  a  dozen  similar  ques- 
tions are  asked  so  often,  that  the  writer  has  tried  to  give 
in  the  following  pages,  the  answers  to  them  all.  The 
beautiful  and  touching  story  is  related,  of  the  devotion  of 
the  typical  old  Uncle  Tom,  "Dr.  VVm.  Key,"  to  his  master  during 
the  civil  war,  and  the  romantic  story  of  the  stealing  from 
Sheik  Ahemid,  in  Arabia,  of  the  famous  Lauretta,  known 
as  the  Mother  of  Horses,  and  who  was  the  dam  of  Beautiful 
Jim  Key. 

The  illustrations  cover  Beautiful  Jim   Key's  principal  acts. 


CHANGING   MONEY, 


The  romantic  story  of  Lauretta, 
the    Arabian    dam   of  Jim    Key. 

The  Queen  of  Horses. 

A  number  of  years  ago,  amidst  the  Nesaen  pastures  of  Persia,  the 
great  Sheik  Ahemid,  a  powerful  ruler,  envied  and  admired  by  all.  ruled 
in  love  and  firmness  o'er  his  tribe,  that  stretched  into  far  off 
Arabian  sands.  For  was  there  not  in  his  dowar  (tented  home)  the 
Queen  of  all  Arabian  horses,  the  fair  Lauretta,  with  a  lineage  carefully 
kept  on  tablets  of  ivory  that  reached  back  to  the  broods  of  Pharaoh, 
comrades,  friends  of  the  tented  tribes  whom  long  association,  love  and 
kindness  had  nearly  brought  up  to  their  own  plane,  and  when  to  their 
animal  instincts  had  been  added  wits  and  a  reasoning  sense,  they  feel 
and  know  all  of  ambition,  love  and  hate. 

In  every  black  tent  down  to  the  Arkaba  and  to  the  ocean,  and  across 
to  the  Euphrates  and  beyond  to  the  sea  of  the  Scynthians,  the  renown 
of  Lauretta,  the  worshipped  of  all,  was  the  daily  talk,  and  for  her 
health  and  safety  their  daily  AUahs. 

This  evening  the  good  Sheik's  heart  was  heavy  and  anger  knitted 
the  furrows  deeper  in  his  brow.  A  trusted  stranger  had  stolen  the 
Mother  Queen  of  Horses,  Lauretta,  and  though  a  full  moon  had  passed, 
no  word  yet  had  been  heard  from  his  beloved,  and  all  over  Arabia 
mutterings  of  anger  were  heard,  even  some  saying  he  himself  had  sold 
her,  and  the  false  story  was  going  on  the  winds  of  the  evening. 


The  Arabian's  Story. 

Clapping  his  hands  thrice,  the  heavy  curtains  parted,  and  there 
entered  with  silent,  gliding  steps  his  head  servant,  Mohammed.  "Well, 
son  of  the  desert,  repeat  thou  the  tale,  aye,  repeat  it  word  for  word, 
and  by  my  beard,  if  thou  contradict  thyself  but  once,"  and  his  eyes 
blazed  fire,  but  stopping  himself,  he  said,  "go  on." 

"  'Twas  but  a  moon  ago  the  stranger  came,"  Mohammed  recited, 
"came  with  tablets  from  the  great  Lallah,  and  thou  entertained  him  as 
befitting  a  Sheik,  though  he  was  light  of  hair,  oil  was  his  tongue,  flat- 
tery caused  thou  to  trust  him.  To  show  him  thy  loved  ones,  to  let  him 
try  their  paces,  even  ride  Lauretta,  our  famed  Queen."  At  the  name 
the  Sheik  bounded  to  his  feet,  rage  shot  lightning  from  his  eyes,  vi^ith 
clenched  hands  he  grasped  his  spear,  and  then  as  quickly  seating  him- 
self, he  moaned,  "m.y  beautiful,  my  beautiful."  Then  one  evening  he 
told  you  the  tale — a  great  Sheik  in  far  off  England  who  had  great  power 
and  whose  desire  was  to  purchase  our  beautiful  Lauretta — the  Mother 
of  Horses^who  would  give  the  price,  a  thousand  horses.  Ah!  thy  rage 
I  will  remember  ever — 'sell  Lauretta,  my  Queen,  sell  the  Mother  of  all 
Horses,  to  whom  a  million  allahs  are  said — pluck  out  mine  eyes,  but 
part  not  I  with  my  beautiful,  raised  here  in  my  tented  dowar — but  go 
on.' 

"The  morning  came,  and  when  Rama  came  to  bring  drink  to  the 
beloved  ones,  there  was  no  Lauretta,  but  in  the  side  of  the  cloth  a 
great  cut.  I  awoke  you,  O  Master,  and  though  a  thousand  of  your 
tried  horsemen  galloped  madly  over  the  desert  sand,  no  signs  of  the 
Mother  was  found.  The  shifting  sands,  blown  with  every  breeze,  hfd 
her  tracks — and  the  stranger  gone." 


.\CT1NG    POSTMASTER. 


the     tent     made     of     skin 
could     reach     on     tip-toe. 


Lauretta  Stolen. 

Twas  early  dawn  when  Jack  Randall, 
the  emissary  of  the  greatest  of  all  show- 
men, awoke.  Bribes,  entreaties,  even  her 
weight  in  gold,  had  failed  to  make  the 
good  Sheik  sell  Lauretta.  Jack  awoke 
with  a  start,  for  he  had  lain  awake  half 
the  night  scheming — dare  he  do  it? 
'Twould  mean  death,  a  terrible  death,  at 
the  hands  of  the  infuriated  Arabs  if  he 
was  caught;  but  who  could  catch  Laur- 
etta? Was  she  not  as  swift  as  the  very 
winds?  Peeping  out  of  his  tent  the  stars 
were  shining;  the  heavy  breathing  of  the 
men  sent  a  shiver  through  him.  He  slow- 
ly crept  out;  'twas  but  a  hundred  yards 
to  the  tent  where  Lauretta  and  Philis, 
and  Ectes  and  Ranus,  the  kingly  four, 
were,  but  how  to  get  in  it,  for  two  Arabs 
slept  at  its  entrance.  So,  gliding  in  the 
semi-darkness,  he  came  to  the  back  of 
;  his  big  knife  slit  it  as  high  as  he 
'Twas  a  moment  that  made  his  hair 
turn  gray,  but  there  at  the  verj'  place  stood  Lauretta,  her  trap- 
pings on  a  post  near  her.  No  hesitation  now;  'twas  a  lifetime  in  the 
minute  it  took  to  sling  a  bridle  on  her  noble  head  and  lead  her  out. 
Cautiously,  with  silent  tread,  in  the  sand  he  led  her,  and  then  bounding 
on  her  back  glided  as  if  she  had  wings,  out  in  the  desert.  No  saddle 
cloth  had  he,  but  like  a  Centaur  he  sat  astride,  and  urged  her  on  and 
on,  faster  and  faster,  for  well  he  knew  that  seconds  meant  for  him  life 
and  gold. 

A  Sensation  in  Europe. 

"What  a  tremendous  sensation  a  horse  can  make,"  said  a  gray- 
haired  diplomat  one  day  in  Parliament.  "Here  is  the  gray  Arabian  mare 
that  is  drawing  such  crowds  at  the  circus  because  she  was  known  as  the 
Queen  of  Arabian  Horses,  causing  us  no  end  of  annoyance  by  the 
fanatics  of  Arabia  because  they  say  she  was  stolen:  others  say  that 
Sheik  Ahemid  sold  her,  and  his  numerous  followers  have  deserted  him. 
and  all  because  of  one  gray  mare.  And  Lauretta,  the  once  proud 
Queen  of  the  desert,  now  the  slave  of  a  circus  owner,  though  the 
greatest  in  the  land,  to  be  exhibited  to  the  tens  of  thousands  of  the 
curious." 

Bou§:ht  by  Dr.  Wm.  Key. 

Through  carelessness  and  unkind  treatment  she  broke  down,  and 
was  taken  to  America  and  sold  again  to  a  smaller  circus,  that  after  a 
short  life  became  stranded  in  the  South,  at  Cupola,  Miss.  To  get  away 
the  owners  sold  at  auction  some  of  their  horses,  and  a  colored  man, 
well  known  as  a  Veterinary,  in  Shelbyville,  Tenn.,  Dr.  Wm.  Key. 
bought  her  for  $40.00,  though  it  is  stated  she  cost  $50,000  when  first 
purchased. 

Lauretta  fell  into  kind  and  able  hands,  for  Dr.  Key  was  celebrated 
throughout  the  Southland  for  both  his  marvellous  skill  and  kindness  in 
the  treatment  of  horses,  and  though  it  took  nearly  a  year  of  the  most 
careful  attention,  the  good  Doctor,  for  so  he  is  best  known,  cured  her. 


DR.  WM.    KEY. 


PROGRAM. 


The  audience  are  requested  to  ask  questions.     Please  speak  distinctly  to  the  horse  and  he  will 
respond  promptly.     A  hint  —  he  enjoys  applause. 

1.  He  opens  school.     Rings  the  bell  for  school  to  open. 

2.  Jim  picks  out  any  letter,  playing  card  or  number  asked  for. 

3.  Jim  shows  his  proficiency  in  figuring,  adding,  multiplying,  dividing  and  subtracting  in  any  num- 

bers below  thirty. 

4.  He  spells  any  ordinary  name  asked  him. 

5.  He  reads  and  writes. 

6.  He  goes  to  the  post-ofifice,  gets  the  mail  from  any  box  requested,  and  files  the  letter  in  a  regular 

letter  file,  under  any  name  asked  him. 

7.  Jim  distinguishes  various  pieces  of  money,  and  goes  to  a  cash  register  and  rings  up  any  amount 

asked  for,  bringing  the  correct  change. 

8.  Distinguishes  colors  and  flags,  and  tells  the  time. 

9.  Gives  quotations  from  the  Bible,  where  the  horse  is  mentioned,  giving  chapter  and  verse. 

10.  Uses  the  telephone. 

11.  Jim  takes  a  silver  dollar  from  the  bottom  of  a  glass  jar  filled  with  water,  without  drinking  a  drop. 

(Considered  one  of  the  greatest  feats  ever  performed  by  an  animal.) 

12.  Jim  offered  for  sale.     Not  wanting  to  leave,  he  goes  lame.     Well  again.     (One  of  his  most  amus- 

ing and  laughable  feats.) 


^^ 

1 1                    r^    hI  a  B   ( '    U^^^^^^^L.i_ 

ifli  fflB   f  ^9 

m 

^T^B^             "■"""""  ^*-  "  ^^                  ^"^  ■     ^a&^' 

READING. 


How    Beautiful    Jim    Key    was 
taught,     by    Dr.    William    Key. 


Finely  Bred. 

"For  nearly  a  year  after  Jim  was  foaled  I  had  no  hope  of  him. 
Knowing  he  was  the  finest  bred  horse  in  the  country,  I  was  very 
anxious  to  see  what  he  would  turn  out,  for  Lauretta,  his  dam,  was  the 
smartest  horse  I  had  ever  seen,  and  his  sire,  Tennessee  Volunteer — 
well,  he  couldn't  be  beat.  But  Jim  pretty  near  done  broke  my  heart, 
for  he  was  the  most  spingled,  shank-legged  animal  I  ever  did  see. 
There  was  an  old,  no-account,  bow-legged  nigger  named  Jim  that  lived 
near  me,  and  I  named  Jim  after  him,  though  I  had  some  very  fine 
Bible  names  picked  out;  but  I  took  mighty  fine  care  of  Jim,  and  be- 
fore long,  his  legs  began  to  straighten  out.  He  was  a  knowing  colt,  I 
tell  you.  He  just  lived  in  my  house  and  would  follow  me  around  like  a 
dog.  He  wanted  to  know  what  everything  was,  and  I  commenced  to 
teach  him  simple  things.  One  of  the  first  things  he  learned,  and  I 
didn't  teach  it  to  him,  either,  was  to  unfasten  the  gate  and  let  himself 
out  in  the  road. 


He  Began  Early. 

"I  began  to  teach  him  when  he  was  one  year  old.  First,  I  taught 
him  to  he  down  and  roll,  and  soon  after  that  to  give  symptoms  of  bots 
and  colic,  because  I  was  then  in  the  medicine  business.  Next  he 
learned  to  make-believe  he  was  lame  and  act  as  though  he  were  suffer- 
ing with  different  kinds  of  troubles,  the  general  symptoms  of  which  he 
would  reproduce.  I  had  him  learn  to  bring  me  different  things  and 
then  to  learn  different  colors.  The  hardest  thing  I  had  to  teach  him 
was  to  learn  how  to  eat  sugar.  I  tried  every  way,  and  had  it  tied  to 
the  bridle,  but  Jim  would  always  spit  it  out.  One  day  I  saw  him  eat- 
ing apples  in  the  orchard,  and  I  got  the  idea  that  if  I  put  a  piece  of 
sugar  in  an  apple  he  would  eat  it.  I  fixed  an  apple  and  then  watched 
Jim.  When  he  picked  it  up  and  munched  it  I  thought  he  would  go 
crazy  with  satisfaction  and  delight.  I  at  once  tried  the  sugar  alone,  but 
it  was  no  use.  He  had  taken  a  grudge  against  raw  sugar,  although  he 
would  take  it  with  an  apple  coating.  I  worked  with  him  for  six  months 
before  I  succeeded.  I  had  to  cover  the  apple  with  sugar  and  he  would 
eat  both  with  great  relish.  I  gradually  reduced  the  quantity  of  apple 
over  the  sugar,  and  then  he  would  have  a  piece  of  apple  laid  over  a 
piece  of  sugar  in  my  hand,  and  when  he  would  reach  for  the  apple  he 
would  get  the  sugar.  In  this  way  he  soon  learned  that  sugar  was 
sugar  and  apple  was  apple. 


i 

'Ik  'M ' §3      ^^H| 

H 

FILING    LETTERS. 

The  Learning:  of  the  Alphabet. 

"The  learning  of  the  alphabet  was  the  work  that  required  the  most 
patience.  I  had  to  keep  at  it  all  the  time  for  years.  When  I  began  I 
had  in  my  mind  only  to  teach  Jim  to  pick  out  the  letter  A.  I  got  some 
cards  with  the  letter  A  on  it,  and  then  put  sugar  on  the  card.  This 
was,  of  course,  after  Jim  had  grown  to  have  a  passion  for  sugar,  which 
he  has  never  lost.  I  would  say  to  him,  'A,  A,  A,'  and  while  I  was 
doing  this  I  would  let  nobody  in  the  stable,  and  I  would  keep  him  away 
from  other  horses.  I  said  'A'  a  good  many  times,  and  Jim  used  up 
many  cards,  as  he  would  lick  the  cards  so  much. 


Bringing:  Letters. 

"Finally  I  got  a  piece  of  tin  with  the  letter  painted  on  it.  It  took 
months  and  months,  a  half  year,  before  I  was  satisfied  that  he  would 
know  the  letter  A  when  he  would  see  it.  When  1  had  this  done  I 
thought  that  if  Jim  could  only  be  made  to  bring  the  card  to  mc  I 
would  have  just  what  I  wanted.  I  at  once  began  to  train  him  for  this 
end.  I  began  with  a  piece  of  apple  in  a  handkerchief.  1  would  let 
him  get  the  end  in  his  jaw  and  then  I  would  try  to  draw  it  away  from 
him.  Finally  I  would  have  a  piece  of  apple  in  my  hand,  and  hold  out 
the  handkerchief  to  him,  and  then  give  him  the  apple.  He  learned  that 
he  was  being  rewai^ded,  and  I  soon  had  him  tugging  at  the  card  and 
then  bringing  it  to  me.  Then  I  thought  that  I  had  my  fortune  made, 
when  one  day  I  happened  to  think  if  the  horse  knew  A  when  he  saw 
it  he  could  be  taught  the  entire  alphabet,  and  in  this  I  was  right. 


Taught  to  Say  Yes. 

"^[y  wife  used  to  tell  mc  to  let  the  horse  alone  and  come  out  of 
the  stable,  for  she  knew  that  I  would  go  crazy  over  Jim,  but  it  came 
around  so  that  she  got  very  fond  of  Jim,  and  was  soon  very  much 
attached  to  him.  One  day  she  happened  to  go  into  the  stable  while 
eating  an  apple,  and  she  said,  'Jin\,  do  you  want  a  piece  of  apple?'  He 
bowed  his  head  up  and  down.  The  next  thing  I  heard  was  my  wife 
calling  out.  "Doctor,  doctor,  the  horse  can  say  yes.'  I  went  in,  but 
Jim  would  not  say  it  to  me.  I  went  out  and  watched  and  saw  him  do 
it  for  mj-  wife.  From  that  day  she  fell  in  love  with  him,  and  would 
always  reward  him  with  apples  or  sugar  whenever  he  would  do  what 
she  asked  of  him.  The  way  Jim  learned  to  open  and  close  the  desk 
drawers  was  this:  I  had  put  some  apples  in  a  drawer  that  had  a  string 
attached  to  it.  Later  on  I  returned  and  all  the  apples  were  gone.  I 
suspected  some  boys  that  were  about  the  place,  and  when  I  put  some 
more  apples  in  the  drawer  they,  too,  disappeared,  and  then  I  watched 
and  soon  found  that  Jim  was  stealing  my  apples.  He  had  been  watch- 
ing me,  and  soon  began  imitating  me. 


Figuring. 

"From  that  time  on  my  work  was  comparatively  easy.  I  taught  him 
to  count,  and  then  to  figure.  This  took  years,  but  I  kept  at  it — day 
after  day — until  now  he  knows  up  to  thirty.  Jim  likes  writing  and 
quickly  learns  names  printed  on  card  board.  I  believe  he  knows  every 
word  I  say  to  him,  and  sometimes  it  seems  to  me  all  I've  got  to  do 
is  to  think  a  thing  and  he  knows  it.  Yes,  some  say  it's  hypnotism  and 
that  kind  of  thing — but  I  don't  know  anything  about  that,  but  I  do 
know  Jim  knows  and  does  what  I  ask  him  to  do.  It  was  just  kind- 
ness, mere  kindness,  and  no  more.  Now  I  am  spending  all  my  time 
teaching  him  the  places  and  quotations  where  the  horse  is  mentioned 
in  the  Bible,  for  horses  were  mighty  prominent  animals  then.  The 
Prophets  had  visions  of  them.  John  says  he  looked  up  and  beheld  a 
white  horse  in  heaven,  and  what  Jim  wants  to  know  is,  if  there  arc 
white  horses  in  heaven,  why  can't  a  good  bay  horse  go  there  also? 


H  e  Travel  s  in  a 
Private  Car,  Dr.  Key 
His    Bed=Fellow. 


Always  Watched. 

"Beautiful  Jim  Key  always  travels  in  a  palace  car,  although  he  dis- 
likes the  jarring  of  travel,  and  refuses  to  lay  down  while  on  the  road, 
because  the  bumping  of  stops  and  starts  of  the  train  would  jar  him 
rudely.  When  he  makes  a  long  journey  he  is  granted  a  stop-over  at 
a  half-way  point  in  order  that  he  may  enjoy  the  comforts  of  a  box 
stall  and  obtain  his  night's  rest. 

"When  at  home  or  stabling  in  some  city  where  he  is  on  exhibi- 
tion, Jim  Key  has  his  faithful  old  valet  for  his  stall  mate.  The  Doctor 
places  his  cot  in  the  stall  with  his  pet,  and  the  two  sleep  together  365 
nights  of  the  year.  During  the  working  hours  Jim  is  never  unattend- 
ed. Either  the  Doctor,  who  trained  him,  or  a  groom  is  constantly  by 
his  side,  and  he  could  not  be  given  more  constant  care  and  attention 
were  he  the  fleetest  racer  in  the  world  on  the  eve  of  the  most  im- 
portant Derby  of  the  turf.  Even  his  grain  and  hay,  though  the  choicest 
quality  that  can  be  bought,  is  examined  very  closely  to  see  that  no 
impurities   are  in  it. 

What  He  Drinks. 

"His  drinking  water  is  not  from  the  common  hydrant,  but  is  the 
purest  spring  water  that  can  be  secured;  often  bottled  water  is  secured 
for  him.  He  drinks  only  water  from  which  all  the  impurities  have 
been  filtered. 

"Every  morning  he  has  his  gallop,  and  comes  in  reeking  with  per- 
spiration to  receive  an  hour's  rubbing  and  combing  until  his  coat  fairly 
shines,  and  is  then  in  fine  condition  for  his  daily  work. 

"Jim  is  a  splendid  saddle  horse  and  has  led  many  big  parades. 
His  beautiful  arched  neck  and  the  graceful  curves  of  his  body  and 
long,  sweeping  tail  make  a  beautiful  picture,  as  he  keeps  step  to  the 
music,  though  prancing  and  fairly  dancing.  At  the  New  Orleans  Horse 
Show  and  many  others  where  he  has  been  on  exhibition,  he  has  taken 
all  the  blue  ribbons  in  several  classes. 

He  Appreciates  Applause. 

"In  breeding  he  is  Arabian  and  Hambletonian,  as  elsewhere  re- 
lated. His  height  is  16  hands;  mahogany  bay;  he  is  11  years  of  age 
(June,  1901).  Never  has  been  sick;  always  takes  especial  delight  in 
his  work;  seems  eager  to  learn,  and  no  actor  ever  was  prouder  of  mak- 
ing a  great  hit  than  is  Jim  when  playing  before  a  large  house  that 
show  their  appreciation  of  him  by  their  applause.  His  appreciation  of 
applause  is  one  of  the  most  human  traits  he  has,  and  sometimes  when 
he  has  a  small  audience  he  does  not  act  as  quickly  and  really  seems  to 
feel  as  if  he  was  not  being  appreciated. 

"Jim  understands  what  one  is  saying.  When  he  is  praised  his  head 
goes  up  so  as  to  say,  'What  horse  is  as  smart  as  I?' 


SPELLING. 


Valued      at     $100,000- 
His  New         Owner. 


First  Exhibited. 

While  at  the  Nashville  Exposition,  Mr.  A.  R.  Rogers,  a  business 
man  of  New  York,  saw  for  the  first  time  this  marvellous,  intelligent 
animal.  Being  very  greatly  interested  in  humane  societies,  and  a  great 
lover  of  horses  in  particular,  he  purchased  from  Dr.  Key  for  $10,000 
this  beautiful  animal,  but  Dr.  Key  put  in  the  contract  a  clause  to  this 
effect:  I  am  always  to  be  Jim  Key's  groom  and  teacher,"  for  he  would 
not  part  with  his  pet.  So  North  went  Jim  and  Dr.  Key  to  Mr.  Rogers' 
beautiful  country  home  in  the  Oranges,  a  suburb  of  New  York,  and 
here  for  a  year  Jim  was  given  his  finishing  touches  before  he  was  ever 
put  on  public  exhibition.  Since  that  time  many  oflfers  have  been  made 
to  buy  Jim,  one  party  offering  $60,000,  but  Jim  Key  is  not  for  sale  at 
any  price,  for  not  only  does  he  earn  more  money  than  any  other  horse, 
but  he  is  a  missionary. 

Teaches  People  to  be  Kind  to  Animals. 

Last  year  at  his  performances  over  185,000  boys  and  girls  promised 
him  to  always  be  kind  to  animals,  and  thousands  of  adults  after  seeing 
his  remarkable  performance  have  gone  away  with  the  same  resolve  in 
their  hearts. 

II 


iL 

1!) 

iiO 

21  2^ 

lii 

21 

25" 

ie;  2T 

m 

■i 

^jrt 

BRINGING  LETTERS. 

Sketch  of   Dr.  Wm.  Key's   Life. 

Wm.  Key  was  born  in  Winchester,  Tenn.,  sixty-five  years  ago,  and 
was  named  after  his  master,  John  W.  Key,  a  well-known  planter  of 
Shelbyville,  Tenn.  In  his  early  years  he  had  a  great  fondness  for  the 
animals.  Ever  kind  to  them,  and  many  a  poor  dog  or  a  worried  cat 
was  he  the  defender  of  on  the  old  plantation.  They  tell  a  story  that 
when  Bill  Key,  as  he  was  called,  was  six  years  old,  he  had  a  rooster 
and  a  yellow  dog  that  would  do  wonderful  things.  His  entry  into  the 
barnyard  was  the  signal  for  a  general  commotion,  for  all  the  animals, 
big  and  little,  seemed  to  recognize  in  him  a  friend.  If  a  colt  was  to  be 
broken  Bill  was  sent  for  by  the  neighbors  for  miles  around,  for  he  did 
it  by  kindness.  He  would  take  the  wild,  frightened  colt  up  to  his 
master's  farm,  and  in  a  week's  time  by  his  gentle,  patient  care  would 
return  him  ready  to  ride  or  drive.  So  remarkable  was  his  success  with 
balking  and  kicking  mules,  in  which  he  took  a  special  pride,  that  the 
"colored  population"  used  to  say  he  bewitched  them.  Uncle  Bill  is  a 
mulatto  and  a  veterinary  surgeon.  Born  a  slave,  he  was  one  of  those 
fortunate  men  who  had  a  kind  master,  and  when  the  war  clouds  began 
to  hover  over  the  Southland  and  his  master's  sons  left  home  to  defend 
their  cause.  Uncle  Bill  went  with  them  "to  look  after  his  young  mas- 
ters," as  he  states. 

"They  just  went  with  Gen.  Palmer's  at  Murfreesborough,  Tenn. 
1  heir  company  was  called  the  Festerville  Guards,   Captain  Webb." 

Asked  why  he  went  into  the  army  instead  of  seeking  his  freedom,  he 
said:  "I  loved  my  young  marsters.  I  was  afraid  they  would  get  killed 
or  not  .have  anything  to  eat,  so  I  went  with  them."  "And  did  you  keep 
them  from  being  killed?"  the  reporter  asked  him.  "Yes,  sir.  We  was 
at  Fort  Donaldson,  Tenn.,  and  when  the  Yankees  captured  us  I  stole 
them  out  of  prison  and  took  them  into  the  rebel  lines." 


Fort  Bill. 

It  was  at  Fort  Donaldson  that  he  built  his  famous  fort  called  by 
the  soldiers  Fort  Bill — a  small  place  dug  in  the  ground  and  covered 
with  logs  to  keep  the  bullets  out;  where  he  would  seek  cover,  he  said, 
when  they  began  to  shoot,  and  where  he  would  try  and  coax  his  young 
inarsters.  When  Fort  Donaldson  surrendered  in  the  night  Bill  stole 
out  and  found  a  place  unguarded  and  took  his  young  masters  out  with 
important  papers,  and  they  escaped.  They  then  joined  Gen.  Forest, 
acting  as  scouts  and  guides.  After  the  Stone  river  battle  Rill  under- 
took to  get  another  darkey  through  the  lines,  but  was  caught  by  the 
guard,  the  Sixth  Indiana  Regiment,  and  quickly  thrust  into  prison  as  a 
spy.  He  says,  "I  told  the  Yanks  I  was  tired  of  the  rebels  and  wanted 
to  be  free;  but  they  called  in  some  men  who  were  Union  men,  that 
lived  at  my  home,  and  they  told  the  officers  I  was  the  worst  rebel  in 
the  South,  and  to  hold  me  till  they  caught  my  young  master,  A.  W. 
Key,  and  hang  us  both  together. 

"I  staid  in  that  prison  six  weeks,  when  one  day  Gen.  Naglee  stated 
he  wanted  a  cook,  and  some  one  who  knew  me  told  him  I  was  the  best 
cook  in  the  country,  so  he  and  Capt.  Prather  both  came  and  wanted 
me.  I  liked  the  looks  of  Capt.  Prather,  and  I  knew  he  was  a  great 
poker-player,  and  I  had  never  found  a  man  that  could  beat  me,  so  I 
went  with  Capt.  Prather  and  in  six  weeks  I  owned  everything  he  had; 
he  owed  me  over  a  thousand  dollars.  He  gave  me  a  pass  to  go  home 
for  the  debt. 

"At  the  battle  of  Shiloh  I  was  with  my  young  master  again,  and  I 
tried  to  shoot  him  in  the  calve  of  the  leg  so  that  he  would  not  have  to 
fight  any  more,  but  he  kept  too  close  a  watch  on  me. 

Went  to  Get  $100,000. 

■'The  second  time  the  Yanks  caught  me  I  went  into  their  lines  to 
get  $500,000  in  Confederate  money.  A  man  who  knew  me  offered  me 
$100,000  in  Confederate  money  if  I  would  go  to  a  certain  store  which 
a.  Union  man  kept  and  bring  back  the  money  that  was  hid  there.  I 
didn't  like  this  job,  but  there  was  so  much  money  in  it  that  one  night 
I  stole  out  by  the  camp,  and  when  I  had  got  in  the  town  the  first  man 
I  met  was  my  worst  enemy. 

In  a  Slave  Driver's  Grasp. 

"He  was  a  slave-driver,  and  had  tried  to  buy  me;  and  when  I  per- 
suaded my  master  not  to  sell  me  he  swore  he  would  get  me  some  day 
and  lick  the  blood  out  of  me.  Well,  he  clapped  me  into  prison  and 
told  me  he  would  have  me  hung  before  daylight;  and  he  would,  but  a 
lawyer,  W.  H.  Wiseman,  who  knew  me,  and  that  I  had  money,  said  if 
I  would  give  him  $i,ooo  he  would  get  me  off.  I  had  the  money  in  my 
shoe,  sewed  between  the  soles. 

"My  case  was  put  off  time  and  time  again  by  this  lawyer,  and  one 
day  the  inspector  said  he  wanted  a  good  whitewasher.  I  told  him  that 
was  my  regular  business,  and  that  my  brushes  were  at  a  certain  store 
in  town.  He  sent  me  there  with  a  guard.  I  went  behind  the  counter 
and  pulled  off  the  sole  of  my  shoe  and  gave  the  money  to  a  lady  who 
run  the  store,  and  she  gave  it  to  Lawyer  Wiseman.  The  next  day  the 
rebels  raided  and  captured  the  place,  and  I  was  let  go  and  my  money 
was  gone  too. 

13 


Went  into  the  Medicine  Business. 

"I  had  a  liniment  which  I  called  'Keystone  Liniment,'  and  every- 
body wanted  it,  so  that  started  me  into  the  medicine  business.  I  used 
to  travel  around  the  country  with  a  minstrel  band  to  attract  a  crowd, 
and  then  sell  my  medicine.  One  day  a  man  told  me  that  a  circus  was 
going  to  sell  out.  I  bought  some  of  their  horses.  Lauretta,  the 
Arabian  mother  of  Jim,  was  one  of  them." 

A  few  years  later  Beautiful  Jim  Key  was  foaled,  and  the  interesting 
story  of  the  years  of  patient  work  in  teaching  him  is  told  elsewhere. 

Few  men  have  seen  as  much  varied  life  as  has  Dr.  Key,  and  few 
men  have  done  as  much  good.  It  is  said  that  the  doctor  is  worth  close 
onto  a  hundred  thousand  dollars,  but  his  love  for  Jim  is  so  strong  that 
he  prefers  to  travel  around  with  him  rather  than  live  in  ease. 

Mr.  Rogers,  who  bought  Jim,  and  pays  Dr.  Key  a  large  salary, 
says  he  is  the  most  faithful  man  he  ever  met.  "I  would  trust  him  with 
all  I  have  as  I  would  myself." 

The  years  of  patience  it  took  to  teach  this  wonderful  horse  are  only 
to  be  equalled  by  the  horse's  nearly  human  intelligence.  It  has  been 
said  that  Beautiful  Jim  Key  is  a  missionary  to  his  kind.  Surely  Dr. 
Key  has  proven  that  kindness  and  patience  will  accomplish  much  more 
than  force.  He  even  sleeps  by  the  horse,  whose  life  is  so  wrapped  in 
his  own,  and  in  whom  he  takes  such  a  pride. 

Mayor  Dudley  of  Nashville  relates  the  following  incident  in  regard 
to  Dr.  Wm.  Key  when  he  was  exhibiting  Jim  Key  at  Sam  Jones'  Tab- 
ernacle in  Nashville.     It  is  a  clipping  from  the  Nashville  American: 

While  looking  over  a  list  of  appointments  which  Mayor  Dudley  has 
ahead,  and  which  will  consequently  have  to  be  broken,  he  came  across 
one  in  which  he  was  down  for  a  speech  at  the  opening  performance 
Monday  of  Jim  Key,  the  celebrated  horse  which  will  be  exhibited  at  the 
Tabernacle  under  the  auspices  of  the  local  Humane  Society. 

Pays  His  Master's  Mortgagfe. 

"I  regret  very  much  that  I  cannot  fill  that  engagement,"  said  Mayor 
Dudley  to  the  reporter  today,  "but  I  have  written  Gov.  McMillin 
and  asked  him  to  take  my  place  on  the  programme. 

Outside  of  the  good  accomplished  by  the  exhibition,  presenting  as 
it  does  an  object  lesson  of  what  kindness  will  do  when  directed  toward 
animals,"  continued  the  'Mayor,  "a  feeling  of  sentiment  actuates  me. 
You  may  not  know  it,  but  Dr.  Jim  Key,  the  colored  man  who  trained 
the  horse  and  who  still  has  him  in  charge,  and  I  were  boys  together 
in  Bedford  County.  The  Doctor  was  a  slave  then  and  his  master  ran 
a  tanyard  about  four  miles  from  my  father's  home.  I  often  went  to  the 
tanyard  and  there  met  Dr.  Key,  as  he  afterward  became  known.  He 
was  always  respectful  and  gentlemanly,  and  I  learned  to  like  the  little 
fellow. 

"At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  his  young  master  joined  the  Con- 
federate army,  and  Jim  went  with  him,  remaining  throughout  the 
period  of  hostilities.  Upon  returning  home  the  tanyard  and  almost 
everything  else  belonging  to  the  family  was  found  destroyed.  Jim  went 
to  work,  however,  and  in  a  few  years  he  succeeded  in  paying  ofY  a 
mortgage  of  $S,ooo  which  hung  over  his  master's  home.  So  you  can 
see  why  I  feel  kindly  disposed  toward  Jim  and  any  enterprise  with 
which  he  is  connected.  I  hope  the  people  of  Nashville  will  give  the 
performances  the  support  which  they  so  richly  deserve,"  concluded 
the  Mayor. 

14 


r_: 


5?'>'-W|«*»^ 


Some   of  Beautiful  Jim 
Key's    Great    Successes. 


Jim  lias  exhibited  in  Boston,  Cincinnati,  Nashville  (2),  Atlanta, 
Birmingham.  Chattanooga,  New  Orleans  (2),  Philadelphia  (3),  Pitts- 
burg (2),  Atlantic  City  (2),  Trenton,  and  Reading,  besides  many  of  the 
big  State  Fairs,  and  his  success  has  been  phenomenal.  The  following 
few  examples  illustrate  his  earning  powers,  for  no  single  attraction  has 
ever  taken  in  half  the  money  that  Jim  Key  has.  and  it  is  no  uncommon 
sight  to  see  hundreds  waiting  to  get  into  his  place  of  exhibition — as  if 
he  was  some  famous  actor. 

THREE  PERFORMANCES— Sam  Jones  Tabernacle,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Attendance,   17,610. 

THREE  WEEKS— New   Orleans   Exposition.     Receipts,  $5,211.50. 

ONE  WEEK— Muncie  Street  Fair.     Receipts,  $1,847. 

TEN  WEEKS — Riverview  I'ark,  Baltimore  "  The  greatest  drawing  card 
and  money  maker  we  ever  had.  Our  Casino  packed  five  times  a 
day.  The  longest  run  of  any  attraction  ever  in  Baltimore.  The 
talk  of  the  city."  JAMES  L.  KERNAN,  Manager. 

SEVEN  WEEKS— Export  Exposition,  Philadelphia.  Receipts,  $20,- 
612.90.  "According  to  the  records  of  this  department  there  were 
173,260  tickets  of  admissions  sold  to  visitors  of  the  Educated 
Horse,  beautiful  Jim  Key,  resulting  in  the  sum  of  $20,612.90. 
This  attraction  proved  to  be  the  best  patronized  of  the  numerous 
shows  on  our  midway." 

W.   E.   CASH.  Chief  Deputy  of  Concessions. 

IS 


SIX  WEEKS — Pittsburgh  Exposition.  Receipts,  $7,000.  Two  years 
previous  he  was  there  as  a  free  attraction.  Three  weeks  the 
next  year,   same  place.     Receipts,  $5,000. 

FOUR  WEEKS — Boston  Food  Fair.  The  greatest  drawing  card,  and 
charging  an  extra  admission  his  receipts  were  $5,000. 


and        ^ 

6i^.GiofgioHinoliti 

,  . ,,  ■  •   "■  ,  vums,.-     ^. 


Copies  For  Sale.    Price  25  Cents. 
A.  R.  ROGERS,  75  Haiden  Lane,  New  York  City. 


Season  1901, 
Young's  Ocean  Pier,  Atlantic  City. 
"I  have  never  had  such  a  drawing  card  on  my  pier  before;  during 
our  large  attendance  at  Easter  time,  over  80  per  cent,  of  the  thousands 
who  thronged  my  pier  paid  an  extra  admission  to  see  Jim  Key." 

JOHN  L.  YOUNG. 

Jim  Key's  phenomenal  record  at  Young's  Ocean  Pier,  Atlantic 
City,  opening  in  their  Theatre  'March  17th,  and  staying  until  Sept.  ist, 
playing  daily  except  Sunday  to  thousands  of  delighted,  astonished  peo- 
ple, many  coming  and  coming  again  to  see  him,  is  a  record  unequalled 
by  any  other  show  or  company. 

16 


)900-r90l 

THE  AMERICAN  HUMANE  ASSOCIAllON  /^^l,"^;; 

SOCIETIES  OF  THE  UNITED  >rATUS  ORGANISED  l-OR  THE  Ajiy^jJ    A^^\^     \ 

PREVENTION     OF    CRUELTY    TO     ANIMALS     AND     CHILDREN 

4AMI»    M.    BflOWN.    PniSiOCNT.    aAROHeM    BwaOiMC.    TOlCOO.    Om<o 

WtLLIAM    A.    FUL.LIR.    TltCA3URin.    t\7   H.  V     Lire    au>t.OlN&.  CniC«aO.   Uv. 

VlCe-eR£S'0£NTS                                                                             OnOANKSO  A.  O.  1817 
foHK  C   Silo«rAi.l. Cblckfo.lll.     Waltv*  S  CMBeSHAN.     ..Dffavcr.Col      D   k    No%t^        .  .st    Paul.  Minii      FAvrrrrSMiili  Motn.Kmii    N    f 

BlMtOCBT    C.*«.V.'..N«w  Vorli.  N    V.     John   H    LkaTHMS."  V.  .Urt.u,v?1K     Ky       1     m'im-.s.*    '      '  ..    '.*.ko.  h.-.iV..  N    V       H.>«.11    K.^o  -"        A 1  ."  . . . 

Tmo^*s  W^P^iMY^.^...  IXltoiI.  Mich.      ROPV»D*N.       ...MutMlc   Al.       h.-*j^    iT    Sm.  ni ..Ck ..l.u       In   .  .  .  m.-    A^-vTf.%  kn.         ^.^^  ^  ,,  J  ;  "J  W 

P«*^«    B^^*>      ■.  .■    -    Bo,l<>D    M««,      F    W    VoV^G.  .■.■NcwOrkan^t.:t       J. 'i.K*  K    StoNK     - .'.  .      .    I....  C<.l.n'„t.'. .    .'.       ^,',l.  .  r    L.^.  j^i>t.«  ii  hi.  ^     a..-      ..-..^ 

CALt.B>    blSN       *'   ".  lodUMpoUvlOd       RlCHAHl.t'     Rtll..'  .  N»Uhv*^M.,s        MmtMm^I.  ''..NflUv"llr     rcilll        M«  v  L  h  .  M  M..I.U  Kl  (.NKb*    W  .-'...;,.,.  ^ 

CVAKLEsR.  Pac  i> C-Dion.O      MRS.  A    L   B^ttHLH.    W>^h...KtJU    Ii  C      M    O   Sn-Hots  ....Providvmc    R    I      W    H    Pot.i»,»  W.'.,,,...  i.  , 

Hb»- W    H.  BKAbi».v  /uilwauWrVx  ^  *  '    ""•>•<■  ■    i^"  ■    ■^k^*  .  J     .  ^    l.  W1».mJ».   ..."  *1    ri..t    M... 

BxecurtvE  committ££ 

Mm  CakolimkEaalk  Wmitb.  Mim  Pi>aNCi:sSe<^k«. BuMalo.  N    Y       Albrkt  Lr.friNCWELL.  M.  D.  Ma*    Mahv  Howi:  Tott«?»  Wash>»)(ii.u  U<: 

CAatrmam.  Pti.UdHpbia.  Pa      Rosr.Ri  J    Wilki.-< BrooklynNV  Auror.i.  N    V      Mi-s  Ccv.;ili,^  H.  rrfK  ..Ctu.M.ii^K  O 

SUB-EXECUTtve    OOhlMITT££ 

>1MIIC    SflOATAU. ChicAgO.  III.      MM.  C*llOM*.K«AaLE  WHITK,  E     PP.L1X.W-.  JF.KKINS NcwV.irk.N    V        ItNKlN   I.tOVD   jONKS.      ChK4|;0    III. 

Ck^trmmm.  Pbil-dclphw.  P.-     ALBERT  I.eI'I'incwkll.  MD  ...Aurura.N,  V      Mrs   A    L   BARStR  .       ,  Wi.b.oi:t»ti.  D  C 

\tT.    A.    R.    Rogers.  Brookune.  Mass. ^IS-lJijA^. /90  0 

Souta  Orange, 

N.    •).. 
Osar  Mr.    Rogers, 

It  giwea  me  plaasisra  to   ioform  you  tnali  at   tns  innaal  convea- 
tiOD  of  tne  Amerioan  aumana  Assooiatioo  rscsntly  Oeld  at  Pittsbtiro,n,   Pa., 
"Beaatifal   Jia  Key'   eas  sleoted  an   oonorary  nefflbse  of   tne   Association.      I    tainK 
this  i3  the  first  lastaaoe  oo  record   of  suob   an  act  on   the   part  of  ovip  oraani- 
23tloD.        It  aas  30  exprsssiOQ  oC  oar  aporecLatioo  of  tne   iateUi(>ence  of  lue 
aorse.    t\iP.  kiadasss  of  bis  tralaer  and   tae  (ieaeraslty  of  Qis  ONaer. 
Vsry   sincerely   yours. 

S«r,  retarr 


p 


